Ash tray



April 20, 1943. E. P. AGHNIDES ASH TRAY Filed March 11, 1940 PatentedApr. 20, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ASH TRAY Elie P. Aghnides, NewYork, N. Y.

Application March 11, 1940, Serial No. 323,459 In Belgium April 25, 19398 Claims.

My invention relates to an ash tray and one of the objects is to providea tray of this type that can be taken apart and readily cleaned. Withthe usual type of ash try that is made in one piece and has a shallowreceptacle in which the cigarette ends, match ends and ashes areintroduced, there is the objection that the burning cigarette endsignite the already extinguished butts thus producing a bad smell. Oftenthe receptacle contains a liquid to make sure that the burning cigaretteend is extinguished. Such type of ash trays are not handy, are awkwardin appearance and generally meet with little public approval.

In another known type of ash tray, vertical holes are provided in whichthe cigarette butts are introduced individually. Such ash trays do notpermit of easy cleaning and for this reason they have not gone intoextensive use.

The ash tray of my invention provides in addition to the features whichare common to any ash tray, one or more tubular inclined cavities inwhich the cigarette butts may he slipped and extinguished instantly,these cavities being so designed and arranged as that they can becleaned easily. The trays are preferably made of glass or other moldablematerial.

While ash trays having vertical holes have been made in two separateparts, there are decided advantages in having the holes in an inclinedposition. Longer holes can be provided when they are inclined and thiscan be done without increasing the height of the tray over the ordinaryash tray. The inclined cavity is easier to mold and cheaper to make.

Referring to the drawing for a more complete disclosure of theinvention, Fig. l is a fragmentary view in plan of the preferred form ofmy invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section onthe line 66 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section of amodification; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation of Fig. 4.

Referring now to Fig. 3, there is a dished base portion lb, that hasmolded in it, a plurality of inclined grooves 1b that are radiallydisposed. There is a superposed molded dished ash receiving portion 21)which overlies the base portion and forms tubular cavities 9b that areclosed at the lower end and open out through the side wall of the tray.These grooves in association with the overlying portion provide a seriesof tubular cavities, one end of which is open for inserting thecigarette butt and the other end closed to cut off the supply of air andcause rapid extinction of the lighted cigarette.

The depth of the 5.5

tubular cavities is such as to prevent crushing of the butt by thesmoker. When the two parts of the ash tray are disassembled they can beeasily cleaned. In the form where the grooves 111 are on the lower part,if the part 211 is lifted, it can be replaced without inconvenience. Ifhowever the groove was on the upper part and the flat portion on thelower part, the butts would slide along the flat portion and the upperpart could not be replaced without cleaning the lower part.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the radial grooves 10 are formed inthe upper dished portion which overlies the lower base portion la. Thetwo portions are properly located relative to each other by theinterlocking bead I3 and groove l4 on the respective portions. The twoparts lo and 2c are identical in construction so that a third or fourthpart can be placed in position, or each part can be used separately asan ordinary ash tray.

When the two parts are interchangeable, there is less molding expense.There is also greater capacity, for by lifting the upper part, the buttsslide and fall into the central part and the holes are again free. Whenthe holes are filled, the upper part can be put below and the lower parton top.

An important advantage in the construction of ash trays of the abovetypes is that the two parts can be manufactured equally easily. In onepiece ash trays provided with cavities, they can be molded only if theholes are vertical. This permits the making in plastics or othermoldable material, of ash trays having tubular cavities laterallydisposed and deep enough to prevent the crushing of the butt at thebottom of the cavity, the inclination of the tubular cavities permittingthe making of such an ash tray almost as low as the height of anordinary ash tray. When the two parts are in position to form verticaltubular portions of suificient depth to prevent the crushing of thecigarette end, then the height of the tray will necessarily be greater.

I claim:

1. An ash tray comprising two superposed nested parts, freely separableby merely lifting one off of the other, the upper part being a trayadapted to receive cigarette ashes and the like, the lower part being atray adapted to receive cigarette ashes and the like after the upperpart has been removed, an inclined elongated cavity between the parts,one end of the cavity being open to permit inserting therein a lightedcigabeing adapted to receive cigarette ashes and the like after theupper tray has been removed.

3. The ash tray of claim l'in which the upper part forms a side wall ofthe cavity between the parts.

4. The ash tray of claim 1 in which the lower part forms a side wall ofthe cavity between the parts.

5. The ash tray of the claim 1 in which the two parts areinterchangeable.

6. The ash tray of claim 1 in which there is a plurality of inclinedelongated cavities.

7. The ash tray of claim 1 in which the main portion of the cavity is inthe lower part.

8. The ash tray of claim 1 in which the main portion of the cavity is inthe upper part.

i ELIE P. AGHNIDES.

